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tricia
New Member
1 Post |
 Posted - 02/10/2011 : 23:50:59
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Hello, have just found this forum so apologies if this has already been covered.
Lately I keep seeing "Darwinism" referred to where the writer is referring to the theory of evolution. What is this? Far as I can see it is only used by detractors of evolutionary theory. Is this a covert way of presenting it to make it look less professional, as if it's the work of one man only, as if it's just some guy's idea? Are these writers trying to manipulate us by the use of a less scientific sounding term? Surely scientists would not use the term "Darwinism" would they?
Would appreciate your explanation thanks
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2011 : 00:48:10 [Permalink]
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You are right that most of the people who refer to Theory of Evolution as Darwinism do so in order to make it appear to be no more than a cult of personality or a religious "ism," but there actually are some within the scientific community who do not use the term pejoratively. I think it's more common among British scientists, and there has been some discussion about whether there should be a concerted effort to abandon the term as potentially confusing. I actually attended a talk in which a questioner brought up this very point to Richard Dawkins, who agreed to use the term more sparingly himself.
Welcome to the SFN.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 02/11/2011 00:50:38 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2011 : 02:01:33 [Permalink]
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Welcome to Skeptic Friends Network, tricia!
"Neo-Darwinism" is often appropriately used to mean the "Modern Synthesis" of Darwin's (updated) evolutionary thinking and Mendel's (updated) genetics. As brilliant as he was, there was just so much that Darwin could not know about, so "evolution" is a better term than Darwinism.
But yeah, as H.H. wrote, Creationists, especially of the Young Earth kind, try any tactic they think may make the Theory of Evolution sound a bit like a religious cult of personality. Using "Darwinism" is one of their less offensive tactics, actually. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 02/11/2011 : 03:37:16 [Permalink]
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Hi tricia and welcome to SFN!
It's one of the latest buzzwords used by creationists in a feeble and somewhat humorous attempt at insult. They think it pisses up off. 
It is in common use at such sites as Answers in Genesis, the Institute for Creation Research, and Bill Dembski's ridiculous, little madhouse, among many others.
That is the sort of thing used when they have no argument, and know it; an attempt to convince a third party that "Darwinism" is really a religion and therefore creationism should be taught along with it in science classes.
Again, welcome! Looking forward to your input.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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"Darwinism"
